Jewel Princesses and Princes, and Kings and Queens
by WogglebugLoveProductions
Summary: The princesses have found success in reigning over sections of the Jewel Kingdom. Now Roxanne, Sabrina, Emily, and Demetra face a new set of challenges. Whether or not they want to fall in love with princes, or even wish to become grown-up Queens someday.
1. Chapter 1

It was a beautiful day in the Jewel Kingdom and it was also a day of celebration within the castle as it was the fifteenth anniversary of King Regal and Queen Jemma's union anniversary. In the immense castle dining hall there was a party in full swing going on with dancing and singing and feasting on the finest foods. Everyone in the Jewel Kingdom was there, and also the closest friends of the King and Queen from neighboring lands.

The rulers of the Jewel Kingdom had four daughters. Princess Demetra, Roxanne, Sabrina, and Emily. Each of the four princesses had been given their own part of the Jewel Kingdom to rule based on the jewel that suited them best. Demetra's jewel was a diamond and so she ruled the White Winterland. Roxanne's jewel was a ruby and so she ruled the Red Mountains. Sabrina's jewel was a sapphire and so she ruled the Blue Lake. Emily's jewel was an emerald and so she ruled the Greenwood.

"Mother and Father have been married for fifteen years, that's a long time," said Princess Emily the Emerald Princess. "I wonder if they lived happily ever after."

"I'm sure they did," said Princess Roxanne the Ruby Princess. "After all, they had us didn't they?"

"They did always tell us we are their crowning achievement," agreed Princess Demetra the Diamond Princess.

"I would really like to live happily ever after with the one I love, too," said Sabrina dreamily.

"So would I," said Emily. "What does happily ever after mean?"

"It means to live in happiness for the rest of your life," replied Roxanne.

"And I can't think of anything that would bring more happiness than to find your one true love," added Sabrina.

"That may be true, but all the same," said Demetra, "don't you think we're all a bit too young to be talking about finding our soulmates now?"

"You may be right, Demetra," agreed Emily. "Though I thought you had been seeing Wink a lot lately," she added with a charming grin.

"Wink, the apprentice of the Great Wizard Gallivant? We're just friends, and nothing is happening between us, honest," Demetra said quickly with a slight blush to her cheeks.

"Well, for my part," said Roxanne, "I'll always be happy just to rule over my friends and subjects of the Red Mountains by myself."

"So will I with the Greenwood," added Emily.

"So will I with the White Winterland," added Demetra positively. "I don't care to have any shallow and insincerely charming prince by my side."

"I'm sure, though, that not all princes are like that," said Sabrina. "There's bound to be a few out there who are as sincere as they are charming."

"Well, they must be very rare, I suppose," said Demetra, tossing her long brown braid over her shoulder.

"I'd love to have a prince like that by my side to help me rule the Blue Lake," said Sabrina wistfully with her blue eyes gazing over. "Whether he is near or far I'm sure I'll find him someday."

Demetra rolled her eyes as Emily giggled while Roxanne just smiled.

Far ahead of them their parents were surrounded by their friends of royalty and nobility as they all toasted to their long and happy lives.

Roxanne smiled and then looked around. She saw hundreds of people and creatures enjoying themselves as they either talked among each other, ate pieces of the fine cakes, or danced to the waltz music that filled the room.

Then as she looked to the corner on the far left she saw a young boy of about her age standing all alone and watching the festivities in solitude. He was wearing a short silk tunic the color of light shiny golden brown and a cape which indicated he was a prince.

"Look at him over in the corner," Roxanne said as she pointed him out to her sisters. "He looks so sad and lonely."

"I wonder why," said Emily sympathetically.

"Let's go over to him and see if we can find out," suggested Sabrina.

So they went up to the young prince in the corner. When he saw the them he smiled very shyly and linked his hands behind his back.

"Hello," said Roxanne warmly. "I am Princess Roxanne, the Ruby princess. These are my sisters, Sabrina the Sapphire Princess, Emily the Emerald Princess, and Demetra the Diamond Princess. We are all the daughters of King Regal and Queen Jemma."

The Prince's smile broadened slightly as he made a small bow to them and replied, "Greetings, fair princesses. I am Prince Micah of the Orichalcum Kingdom."

"I've never heard of Orichalcum," said Roxanne. "What is it?"

"It is a precious metal that is second to gold and is used to make jewelery for lesser people," replied Prince Micah.

"Pleased to make you acquaintance," said Roxanne as she and Micah shook hands cordially. "You seem very shy. Why is this so?"

"I think it's probably because my father raised me to always be cautious and to never go beyond our castle's grounds. In fact this is the very first time I've been away from it," Micah explained.

"Do you know why it's been that way?" asked Demetra.

"I remember he mentioned once that when he was very young, not much older than me, his parents went on a mission to another land and never returned for they were lost at sea, and then he was the only heir to the throne so he was forced to stay confined to the Orichalcum Kingdom except on very special occassions like this one," Micah explained.

Roxanne looked thoughtful. "I remember on the day I was to be crowned the Ruby Princess I got scared and ran away from my coronation. But then I met some new friends who would be with me in the Red Mountains I would reign over, such as the dragon Hapgood who is now my adviser, and they helped me to see I could accomplish my duties if I just believed in myself. Maybe that is all you need to do."

"Did you say a dragon?" asked Micah in surprise. "But I always heard that dragons were mean and foul-tempered monsters who like to breath fire on people."

"Which just shows how living alone in fear has affected your knowledge of the world," said Roxanne pointedly. "For most dragons are really noble, gallant, and wonderful creatures. Hapgood is only fierce towards those he doesn't like such as the Darklings."

"Then I think I'd like to meet this dragon adviser of yours," said Micah.

"Oh my, yes! You must come to visit my Red Mountains someday. You will always be welcome to come," said Roxanne eagerly.

Just then a dance got started and many of the guests began finding partners to dance with. Everyone in the room quickly found a partner to dance with.

Roxanne looked at Micah and asked,

"Would you care to dance with me?"

"Oh, I'd love to," he said sorrowfully. "But I can't for I don't know how. You see, I never learned."

"Oh, that's okay," said Roxanne with a warm smile. "I'll teach you how to dance as we go along. It's fun and it's easy."

Then hesitantly Micah took Roxanne's hands as she led him onto the floor. "Oh dear," he said anxiously. "I'll more than likely step on your toes at some point."

Roxanne laughed. "Even if you did I wouldn't mind," she assured him.

Then they began to sway towards the music of the dance and after a while Micah was dancing seemingly effortlessly with Roxanne. They smiled as they looked at each other's faces and imagined they were the only ones in the room.

Sabrina looked around waiting for someone to ask her to dance and suddenly she felt someone take her by the hand from behind. She turned around quickly and found herself looking into a pair sparkly eyes of the lightest blue she had ever seen belonging to a boy who looked to be a year or two older than her with midnight black hair and wearing a long silver cape with a matching tunic and boots.

He smiled at her sweetly. "May I have this dance, my fair princess?" he asked in a silvery voice.

"Charmed," replied Sabrina as she took his hand and they began their waltz around the golden ballroom floor.

As they began to dance the night away they continued to gaze into each other's eyes and they also kept smiling. Sabrina began to feel warm and bubbly inside as they did so.

As the dance came to an end Sabrina continued to clutch his hands as she asked. "What is your name, may I ask?"

"Fabian," he replied. "Prince Fabian of the Silver Kingdom. And may I ask also what your name is?"

"Sabrina," she replied. "Princess Sabrina of the Jewel Kingdom and ruler of the Blue Lake. I'd be honored if you could come and visit me at it someday."

"Thank you," he said. "And if you could come visit me at the Silver Kingdom I'd be very honored indeed."


	2. Chapter 2

Roxanne was in her bedroom and playing hide and seek with Hugsy, her pet hugaboo. She looked for him under the bed, he wasn't there. She looked for him under the dresser, he wasn't there. Then she looked for him inside the cupboard, he wasn't there.

But then when she looked inside the wardrobe, she found him sitting nuzzled within a scarlet red fur coat. When she opened the door he poked his head out of the pocket of it and squeaked with delight. She grinned as she picked him up and cuddled him against her and he nuzzled her and kissed her neck. She giggled as she whirled around on her floor with him.

Just then there was a knock on her bedroom door. "Come in," she called.

Then her servant, Nutmeg the gnome, opened the door and announced, "There is a visitor here to see you here, Princess. He is a prince named Micah. He claims you invited him to come here."

Roxanne's face lit up in joy. "Yes, I did!" she exclaimed. "Send him in."

"Yes, my lady," said Nutmeg with a bow before he went to fetch the Orichalcum prince.

"I really think you and Micah are gonna like each other, Hugsy," said Roxanne to her hugaboo as she tickled its tummy causing it to giggle.

Moments later, the door opened again and Prince Micah was shown in by Nutmeg. He wrung his hands nervously before him as he glanced around the room and then focused on Roxanne.

"Hello again, Princess," he said formally.

"Please call me Roxanne," she said with a smile. "This is Hugsy," she said as she held up the little creature in her arms which looked like small blue teddy bear with pointy ears and a small bump of a nose.

Micah reached out and rubbed Hugsy in-between his ears and he made a sound that was something like cooing and purring. "He seems very nice," said Micah. "What is he?"

"He is a hugaboo," said Roxanne. "He was given to me as a gift from Hapgood for saving the life of a baby dragon."

"How did you save the life of a baby dragon?" asked Micah.

"Well, it was because of me he needed saving to begin with," said Roxanne slowly. "I found him when he was still inside his egg in the mountains and when he hatched I named him Sassafras and made him my pet. But then Hapgood said he had to grow up in the Land of the Dragons or he would become very sick, I didn't listen to him though because I didn't want to. Then, sure enough, Sassafras got very sick and I had to take him to the Land of the Dragons, I made the journey part way before Hapgood flew us the rest of the way. We made there just in time and now I'm happy knowing Sassafras is where he should be."

"You went to the Land of the Dragons?" said Micah in awe. "You must really be the bravest princess of the Jewel Kingdom.

Roxanne looked flattered, and then Hugsy began wiggling in her arms and reaching out towards Micah.

"I think Hugsy wants to be hugged by you," said Roxanne observantly. "He just loves to make new friends."

She held him out to Micah and he took him in his arms. Once Hugsy was in Micah's embrace he nuzzled against his chest and cooed and purred. Micah smiled as he stroked Hugsy's back and ears.

"There's something else about him I should tell you," Roxanne began.

Then suddenly Hugsy began tickling Micah all over up from his waist with his very furry little paws. Micah began laughing uncontrollably though he couldn't get Hugsy off of him because he began crawling all over him.

Roxanne giggled as she said, "I should have warned you before. He often likes to break out into tickling attacks on newcomers."

Micah fell to the floor in fits of laughter as Hugsy crawled over his back tickling ferociously. Roxanne then knelt beside him and tried to pick up Hugsy off of him but Hugsy just began tickling her then making her laugh also. Then before they knew it all three of them were rolling around on the floor in heaps of uproarious laughter caused by each other's tickling. They were having so much fun they at first didn't notice when someone else entered the room.

Roxanne just happened to look up and see Clove the Craghopper, her kitchen maid and cook standing in the doorway with a most bemused expression on her goatlike face.

"Oh my! What is it, Clove?" asked Roxanne between breathless giggles.

"I just came to tell you lunch is now ready, Princess," said Clove.

Roxanne and Micah slowly got up from the floor and brushed themselves off as they attempted to calm down their laughter.

"Thank you, Clove," said Roxanne.

"May I stay and have lunch with you, Roxanne?" asked Micah.

Roxanne's face lit up in joy. "Certainly you may!" she said. "And why don't we all go and have lunch as a picnic on the nearest mountain?"

"That sounds splendid," said Micah. "Although I shall feel somewhat nervous about climbing a mountain."

"You won't have to," Roxanne assured him. "Hapgood can fly us there on his back in a very short time."

So then they packed their picnic basket full and went outside where they found the cave by the castle where Hapgood lived. Roxanne called into it and her voice echoed in the cave's interior.

"Happy? I have a guest here who would like to meet you."

Then there was a shuffling sound before two large green eyes appeared shining through the darkness, and then these were followed by a large green dragon head and then an enormous massive body with a long scaly tail slithering behind it.

Micah felt suddenly very weak in his knees at the sight of Hapgood, but then his tension eased as he saw that the dragon was smiling warmly with its pearly white teeth.

"Greetings to you, young prince," said Hapgood in a deep refined voice as he bowed his head towards Micah. "You must be Prince Micah of the Orichalcum Kingdom. Roxanne told me about you and mentioned we might meet each other. It's a pleasure to meet you I must say."

"The same here," said Micah cordially.

"Now, Happy," said Roxanne. "Would you be so kind as to fly us to the nearest mountain so that we may relax and enjoy our picnic?"

"Of course, my lady," replied Hapgood.

Then the three of them climbed onto Hapgood's back with Micah holding the picnic basket and Roxanne holding Hugsy in her lap. Then the dragon lifted its great wings up and soared into the air freely. Soon they were high above the ground and could see the tops of the Red Mountains beside them. Then within moments Hapgood came to a stop on top of the one closest to the castle which was one of the smaller ones and his passengers climbed off of his back.

Roxanne and Micah with along with Hugsy sat down upon the reddish ground and laid out a large blanket before them and then opened the picnic basket and laid out their goodies.

Halfway through their meal, Roxanne happened to look up and exclaim, "Look! There is the moon! In the middle of the day!"

Micah looked up and sure enough there was a big round full moon shining as bright as it did at night in the sky.

"How can we see it at this time of day?" he asked wonderingly.

"Sometimes if the moon is in the right place at the right time you can see it in the daytime," explained Hapgood.

"I see the moon and the moon sees me!" Roxanne said in a sweet sing-song voice.

"I remember," said Micah looking wistfully up at the moon, "when I much younger I had a storyteller who would come to the castle and tell me stories about other worlds and the people and creatures that lived on them. Now I often wonder if there really could be other places and people out there, beyond the moon and the stars."

"So do I," said Roxanne. "And I would really like to meet one of them someday."

They then finished their lunch and repacked the picnic basket and climbed onto Hapgood as he flew them back to the Ruby Castle.

"Why did you shiver when we first met?" Hapgood asked Micah curiously.

"Well, it was just that I'd never seen a dragon before, and all the dragons I'd heard of were described as being really mean and horrible and dangerous. Though now of course I see the falseness of what I'd heard."

Hapgood nodded and said, "Sometimes dragons can go bad under certain circumstances. In the old days a lot of dragons did not get along with people too well. Though nowadays we dragons are mostly peace-loving creatures. Remember to always believe what you see and experience and not what you hear about."


	3. Chapter 3

Sabrina was lying in her bed and dreaming pleasant dreams when suddenly she was awakened by a tapping against her window. Slowly she rubbed her eyes and sat up, and looking over at the window she recognized a red bird with rainbow plumes.

It was Twitter, her parents royal secretary. She knew that if Twitter had come to her all the way from the Jewel Palace it had to be something of great importance so she got up and hurried to open the window and let him in.

Twitter quickly flew inside and gave Sabrina his announcement. "Princess Sabrina. There is a visitor here to see you now."

"Who might it be?" asked Sabrina, rubbing her eyes. "I wasn't expecting a visitor, was I?"

"Not that I recall," replied Twitter. "The visitor claims he is Prince Fabian of the Silver Kingdom."

Sabrina was delighted, to say the least. She got out of her bed and dressed. Then met quickly with Prince Fabian.

"Fabian, I am so delighted and honored to see you again!" she exclaimed.

"As am I with you," replied Fabian with a bow. "And I'd also be honored to see the Blue Lake you mentioned of."

"Come with me," said Sabrina.

They arrived shortly to the Blue Lake which was the largest and bluest lake in the Jewel Kingdom next to Bluebonnet Falls. In the center of the Lake stood the Sapphire Castle which was pure white with light blue roofs and turrets.

Once they arrived they found a boat in the shape of a curved green leaf waiting for them. They climbed aboard and set sail through the Blue Lake.

"I must say your lake is the prettiest I've ever seen, Sabrina," said Fabian. "And also the bluest, and it matches your eyes perfectly."

Why, thank you, Fabian," replied Sabrina smiling. "I can't wait for you to meet the nymphs and water sprites and gillywags and storkz who live here also."

Just then a large yellow and pink butterfly fluttered up to them and landed onto Sabrina's shoulder.

"Fabian, may I introduce Zazz, my royal advisor and best friend," said Sabrina. "Zazz, this is Prince Fabian of the Silver Kingdom."

"Pleased to meet you," said Zazz.

Prince Fabian smiled and nodded to the butterfly. Then they sailed downstream and saw many plants growing along the water's edge such as lily pads and water lilies and weeping willows.

Then suddenly they heard a soft splashing beneath the water's surface beside them. They looked down and watched as a very small girl like creature with straw-colored hair and a tiny star on her forehead with pearly white skin wearing a swimsuit made of green leaves popped its head out of the water.

"Hello," said Sabrina. "Fabian, this is Jetsam, she is a water sprite. Jetsam, this is Prince Fabian of the Silver Kingdom"

"Pleased to make your acquaintance," said Fabian.

"Oh my!" squeaked the water sprite. "I've never met a prince before! I am so happy for you, my lady, that you have finally found someone to court."

"Well, we're not exactly courting," said Sabrina with a slight blush to her cheeks. "We're just getting to know each other now."

"Oh," said Jetsam. "But I am sure though that you will find Princess Sabrina to be the most charming and gracious princess, Prince Fabian."

"Believe me I already have," replied Fabian, making Sabrina blush all the more.

Then they sailed on and when they at last reached the Sapphire Castle they stopped at the edge of a bridge leading up to it. After crossing the bridge and entering the castle Sabrina introduced Fabian to her royal guard who was silver fish-and-manlike strider named Titus. She then had Titus packed them a picnic basket which they took back with them to the boat and sailed over to a small grassy hill nearby where they could eat and enjoy themselves.

"I like your guard Titus," said Fabian while they ate contentedly. "I'm sure he keeps you well-protected."

"He does indeed," replied Sabrina. "Though he can be a bit overprotective at times. I remember when Jetsam found a blue bottle with a map to a treasure inside it. Everyone went crazy and started digging up the banks of the Blue Lake everywhere. Then when we finally got the bottle opened Titus told us that the treasure of the blue bottle was secret guarded by the striders. The blue bottle appears once every one-hundred years and the map inside it leads to a rock that when found turns into a giant flower with gold and silver petals and the weeds surrounding it bloom in all the colors of the rainbow and shoot out fireworks into the sky. When we found it was the most beautiful sight I could have ever imagined."

"I'm sure it must have been," said Fabian. "And I am sorry I did not get to see it myself."

After they had finished eating they repacked the picnic basket and set off walking along the banks of the Blue Lake. Soon they found a bunch a green skinny creatures with webbed hands and feet and froglike faces who seemed to playing a game of leap-frog.

"Those are the gillywags," said Sabrina. "They are funniest and the most athletic creatures of the Blue Lake."

"You have so many marvelous creatures for subjects living here," said Prince Fabian. "Though I've wondered if there are any merpeople around here."

"Well, actually," said Sabrina. "There used to be a mermaid living here a very long time ago before any of us were born. Her name was Oona and she was the most beautiful creature you'd ever see. But then the evil Lord Bleak cast a spell on her and turned into a gigantic monster and since then everyone has been afraid of her. I was afraid of her myself when I first saw her until she saved my life by eating a poisoned pear for me and then I realized she was good inside. Then I saved her with the purple flower that grew behind Bluebonnet Falls and then she told her story and she has been a friend to everyone here since then."

"A very interesting story," said Fabian. "You mentioned she was put under the spell by Lord Bleak? I've heard of him. Didn't he used to rule this Kingdom and made it dark and dreary before its rightful rulers were restored to the throne and it was restored to its true beauty?"

"Yes, that's right," said Sabrina. "Lord Bleak and all of his followers known as the Darklings were banished and sent far away across the Black Sea. Though sometimes the Darklings find their way back here and cause trouble like they did for my sister Roxanne when we were all crowned."

"Ah," said Fabian "And speaking of beauty being restored, I think I just may know a way to break the spell your friend Oona is under."

"You do? Really?" asked Sabrina eagerly.

"Certainly," said Fabian. "In the Silver Kingdom we have a great wizard named Saladin the Silverbeard and he knows all kinds of spells and how to break just as many. I'm sure he could find a way to release Oona from her spell."

"Oh, thank you, Fabian! You don't know how happy this makes me!" exclaimed Sabrina as she threw her arms around him and kissed his cheek.

They then walked to the edge of Blue Lake and Sabrina waved goodbye to Fabian as he stepped into the carriage again and went back to the Jewel Palace to choose the next princess to visit.


	4. Chapter 4

Princess Emily the Emerald Princess of the Greenwood in the Jewel Kingdom was swinging herself back and forth happily and freely on the wooden swing that hung down from a great oak tree which her royal woodsman Crosscut had made for her.

Emily was the youngest of the Jewel Princesses at ten and a half years old now. She loved to play and have fun all day long, she also sometimes liked to get into mischief at the expense of others though she always meant well. She also loved all of her subjects and took care of them and helped them when and wherever she was needed by them. Lately though, her royal duties had grown immensely and she was beginning to feel overwhelmed by the pressures of them and so she took as much time out as she could to just relax and enjoy herself as she was now.

Then suddenly her carefree playtime came to an abrupt end as a small silvery white unicorn stepped up beside her and said softly, "You must stop now, Princess. It is time for your royal meeting with the fairy folk and the miniature elves in the castle."

"Aw, can't I have just a few more minutes, Arden?" Emily asked the unicorn who was her royal advisor.

"I'm afraid not, my lady," said Arden. "The matter between the fairies and elves is a serious one and cannot be put off for any longer."

Emily gave a sigh of resignation as she stopped herself in the swing and hopped from it. "Very well." she muttered.

"Come quickly," said Arden as he bent slightly so that Emily could climb onto his back. "They mustn't be kept waiting for long."

So then Emily rode on Arden all the way back to the castle. Once they got there she hurried inside to the royal meeting hall where she met with fairy folk and the miniature elves. They were having this meeting today so that she could settle for them some quarrels they were having with each other and she knew they were too temperamental to settle these arguments by themselves, especially the fairy folk, she had to make a decision for them so that they would not have to result to waging war on each other.

The meeting went on and on for hours. Emily was having to listen to both sides of the parties time and time again, and then she was having to think long and hard about what should be decided for them without making things worse. She was having to ask many questions and then think some more. Then finally she came to a decision and announced it to her subjects and they agreed to it and then left with peace made between them.

After they had left, Emily let out a long yawn. She felt mentally exhausted from such a long and tiresome meeting. She was also feeling rather fed up now with her subjects as she wondered why they always seemed to have to come to her when they needed something to be settled and why couldn't they just simply work it out themselves with each other. It seemed like instead of them serving her she had to serve them at times it seemed.

Just then the bell rang that announced it was time for dinner in the royal dining hall. So she got up and went to have dinner.

After dinner Emily got ready for bed. She entered her royal bedchamber and took off her emerald-green stain dress and changed it to her equally green and satin nightgown. She turned off the light and went to sleep shortly. As she slept she had a dream in which she was not a princess but just a simple ordinary young girl who ran around and played all day with her ordinary friends and animals in the woods without a single care in the world. She never had to think hard to make important decisions for anyone lest she disappoint and upset them.

When she awoke the next morning she felt a heavy weight resting within her heart as she knew her dream had been a mere fantasy and she would have to get up and start yet another day full of royal duties which would consist of making hard pressed decisions for others.

After she had breakfast, Emily went to see Arden to tell him about her troubles as she always trusted him as being the most understanding friend she had. She came to him in little hut just outside of the castle and said,

"Arden, I feel like I'm sick and tired of being a princess now. I'm just not happy with having so many royal duties all the time now, and having to make decisions for others. It just wears me out. I wish... I wish I were just an ordinary girl like the ones who live in the Greenwood village outside of the woods and could just run and swing and play all day long."

Arden looked at her thoughtfully with a light of understanding shining in his black eyes. Then he said, "Well, Princess, you must remember that many ordinary girls also dream of becoming a princess like you are all the time and long for all the things you have here. Also you must understand it is your destiny to be a princess as you were born into it along with your three sisters."

"I know, Arden," Emily said. "But if those ordinary girls knew of all the troubles that come with being a princess they would be happy just being ordinary. And I did not choose to be born as a princess, I really didn't. And now I think I don't want to be one anymore at all, either."

Arden looked at her in great surprise. "Why, Princess! You must watch what you're saying! What if someone were to overhear you?"

"Then let them hear it!" said Emily in frustration. "I don't care! I really don't care! I just want to get out of this castle and lose this crown and scepter and go have an adventure somewhere far away from here with nobody knowing me as the Emerald Princess."

"Princess," Arden said cautiously, "remember you must be careful of what you wish for or it may come true."

"And I want it to come true!" Emily said. "In fact, I'm going to make it come true this very night. I'm going to leave my crown and castle far behind me and go somewhere far away where I can pretend to be an ordinary girl for once in my life."

Arden now looked at her in shock. "Princess! You can't be serious about this. I mean, who will govern the Greenwood in your absence?"

"Why don't you do that for me, Arden?" suggested Emily. "After all, you've always been much better and quicker at making decisions than I ever have. And please do not tell anyone about my plans."

Arden sighed in defeat. "Very well, Princess. I will do just as you wish of me. But if you will not take your crown, then will you at least take your magic flute with you? You know, for just in case of an emergency?"

Emily thought about this for a moment and then said, "Oh, alright. Now tonight at sundown I want to make sure that the coast is all clear for my escape."

And so Arden did. And Emily changed out of her royal green satin dress and into a pair of long green knee-breeches with pale green silk stockings, and dark brown pointed shoes along with a dark green tunic and a peaked green hat that half covered her long red curls. Then after she had fastened her special pan flute to the belt around her waist, she opened her window in her bedroom and climbed carefully and silently down the castle wall.

She landed softly on the ground and then she made a dash into the thick forest. She caught a glimpse of Arden in the corner of her right eye. His face looked quite sad but also hopeful. Hopeful that she would safe, and hopeful that she would soon come back.


End file.
